Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-20
ODD SCENES IN SivAS.
Customs Observed by tho Turkish feoPie
when Making Purchases.

Customs tEseFFtu ny w"
when Making Purchases.
Like most Turkish towns, Sivas mas
its covered bazars, but they are not eN-
tensive. and are not particularly
worthy of notice. Most Of the mef-
camille business is done on two long
streets, running nearly parallel WIN
each other. These streets are llned on
both sides with shops They are mar
row and ill-paved, and, during business
hours. are so crowded with men,
horses, donkeys and cattle that they
are difficult of passage A little ram
covers the uneven cobblestones with
mud as slippery as ice, making pedes-
trianism any thing but pleasant. There
are no sidewalks. A line OF stones
through the center is raised little
above the level Of the street and serve
as steppipr stones when the mud Is
very bad, which it generally is. Inc
stores are merely booths. They boast
| neither counters. shelves nor chairs.
| The door is elevated two or three feet
| above the street, and there the mer-
chant sits on his heels with his goods
spread around him. The customer
| stands in the street. or if he be man
| of Importance, climbs upon the plat
| form and sits with the merchant. Buy
ing any thing Of any value is very
elaborate process. 1t is not to be hur-
ried over, and requires vast deal oil
| bargaining. If the buyers foreigner
the dealer is very deferential and ment-
ally marks his goods 100 per cent
higher.
| When the customer goes into the shop
and sits down, before any thing is said
about buying, coffee is served. 1hcn
tho merchant rolls cigarette and
hands it to his guest. Pipes instead are
sometimes offered, but not often now,
as the cigarette has almost entirely dis
placed the pipe in Asia Minor. Aftei
the coffee and the smoke, the subject OF
purchasing something is gradually APP
preached. Not abruptly; that would
involve a loss of dignity, but slowly ane
circumspectly-casually, as it were-a'
if the buying of any thing was a mere
7 after-thought not intended in the frs
place. The customer has just droppet
in for a friendly call. The merchant i
not merchant, but a host entertaining
: a guest.
; This pleasant little fiction is kept NJ
for half an hour or more, until, b.
gradual approaches, the customer ind
. | l.. A ft,r al 4
spent in discussing the quality of tn
goods, the customer asks the price in a
: oif-hand way, as if he were not particu
larly interested. The merchant replies
20, whatever your Highness pleascs.
:, or II shall be proud if your Higl
i ness will do me the honor of acceptin
!" it rs a gift" This, of course, is
{ mere form of Oriental politeness an
u means nothing as both parties under
. stand; it is merely n graceful introdu'
l. ton to the laughing over the pric
which is sure to follow, for the Turks
IL merchant never has fixed price fc
: any thing. To do so would be to VII
!, late all the principles of his mercanti
4, code. What he sells thing for d
Il ponds entirely on the customer. Whe
> the buyer insists on having a pri'
u stated the seller will, with engagir
!" frankness with manner of silk and
forehead of bra s, name figure
:" least four times what the article
- worth. Then the real business COZ
- menccs. The buyer offers a half or
~ fourth of what he expects finally
~ give. The 'war of words to cheap'
- this or that is then indefinitely co
~ tinued, each gradually yielding poi
- until they finally agree on fgur
% % This bargaining, with the loud TIA
Vi which accompanies it, is very amusil
to foreigner, unless he is personal
. Interested. when it becomes general
70 exasperating, Cor, Boston Herald.